tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892532200449973847.post1927808229490700100..comments2023-08-21T20:34:01.689-07:00Comments on Velo Family Diaries: Look beyond the surface...Melissa Bruntletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12273677421225992084noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892532200449973847.post-2801130277794671702013-11-07T06:29:34.377-08:002013-11-07T06:29:34.377-08:00The Australian example is widely discussed, widely...The Australian example is widely discussed, widely researched, and sadly soundly confirmed: helmet laws have reduced cycle use, which reduces what is called "security in numbers", and increases other life risks, like obesity mentioned in the article, as well as the risk of alternative transportation - those people still get from A to B somehow. A recent study shows that "parent taxis", parents driving their kids to school, increases the children's risk of car accidents where it is well-meant to reduce it. <br /><br />An often misunderstood debate is that not favoring helmet laws is not at all about not wearing helmets - I do wear one, and my children certainly do. A helmet is potentially useful even though its actual specs are usually overrated, and obviously harmless if nothing else, which makes for a positive sum of odds, so better wear it (see "Pascal's wager"). But the decision should be everyone's own to make.<br /><br />And my first thought about the girl in the picture was totally different: look, training wheels. We don't do that anymore...Thomas Arbshttp://www.radfahrenmitkindern.de/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892532200449973847.post-25322934862626817592013-11-06T15:21:50.593-08:002013-11-06T15:21:50.593-08:00Thank you for commenting. I don't think saying...Thank you for commenting. I don't think saying poor parenting is a fair argument. Parents choosing healthy food options will only go so far. Having an active lifestyle saves more lives than helmets ever will, and giving people reasons to think activities like riding abide to school are too dangerous will not get kids outside, active and healthy.Melissa Bruntletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12273677421225992084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892532200449973847.post-76624420002565132392013-11-06T12:35:39.460-08:002013-11-06T12:35:39.460-08:00Except when they don't. Alberta passed a manda...Except when they don't. Alberta passed a mandatory helmet law for children under 18 in 2002. The result: a reduction of more than half the number of people cycling in that age group, while their risk of injury actually increased: http://cyclehelmets.org/1250.html.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892532200449973847.post-24060766276188255042013-11-06T12:24:42.597-08:002013-11-06T12:24:42.597-08:00Child obesity is mainly down to poor parenting - ...Child obesity is mainly down to poor parenting - cycle helmets save lives - fact.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com